Flights of Fancy
by Metropolis Kid
Summary: Random AxI one-shot. Alucard finds out about one of his master's little, romantic fantasies and tries to help her out with it... the key word being "tries". :P Well, hope you enjoy.


**Flights of Fancy**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any material contained within this story. All copyrighted content remains the property of the person, people, or organization that holds the copyright. This story is solely for fun.

**AN:** Please forgive any typos I've missed. I'm out of town again, and don't have access to all my usual FF equipment. Thanks.

* * *

It was late... or very early depending on how one looked at it. The clock struck one, and the sound pulled Integra out of the fantasy world she was currently engrossed in. She looked around, momentarily startled by the chiming intrusion, before settling back into the plush sofa and again returning her gaze to the television screen just as the brunette in the white nighty lit her cigarette.

It was rare for both time and circumstance to permit the lady knight to indulge in something as frivolous as a movie night. But things had been quiet lately, allowing everyone at Hellsing a little more time for personal indulgences.

Seras was out with the French Merc again. And, like the previous nights, Integra hadn't bothered to ask where they were going when the young vampire came to her for permission. She trusted Seras and had no fear of letting the fledgling off her leash every-once-in-awhile.

Integra still didn't completely trust the Wild Geese or their mercenary commander yet, but he did seem genuinely fond of Seras. So Integra doubted he'd try anything too vulgar. And if he did... well, Seras was strong enough to handle him on her own. No, Integra had no qualms about granting her newest 'pet vampire' permission to go out with the Frenchman.

As for the rest of the main Hellsing crew: Walter had used the supernatural lull to put in for some of his overdue vacation time, and Alucard seemed to be enjoying sleeping later and later. And that meant that in the wee hours of the morning, Integra had the mansion's main house all to herself. This made it the perfect time in which to indulge in her own guilty pleasure.

She sat there and watched in silence as the male and female leads glided gracefully through the night sky, violins and various other instruments providing soft, musical accompaniment. Then the lady knight closed her eyes and tried to imagine what it would be like to have a 'Superman' of her own fly her through the clouds and gaze at her so adoringly, the calming, emotional melody lifting them ever higher, till the moon itself was their backdrop.

"Such pointless, romantic nonsense," a deep voice broke in from somewhere behind Integra, again tearing the knight from her short lived fantasies.

"And just who asked for _your_ opinion, vampire?" Integra growled in protest as she attempted to cover up her slight embarrassment at being caught in one of her guilty pleasures. "What are you even doing up this early?"

Alucard grinned smugly. "One in the morning is hardly early for a vampire to rise. It's actually quite late."

"It's early considering the fact that you've been sleeping-in till two or three these last few days," Integra defended.

"Why, Master, keeping tabs on me? I'm flattered."

"Don't be. I just need to know when my 'trump card' is playable," the lady knight excused.

"Now, now," her servant taunted, "surely you can do better than that, Master. You know that I'll come for you when you call – regardless of what else might be occupying my time at the moment. No, far more likely you simply didn't want me to catch you wasting your time with such saccharine nonsense."

Integra huffed. "Well someone seems to have an awfully inflated view of his opinion. Do you really think I care what you think about my movie habits?"

"Yes," Alucard replied simply.

And Integra, irked by her failed attempt to bluff the monster that was her pet yet unwilling to continue her losing verbal duel before she'd had a chance to regroup, just sat there for a moment and fumed in silence.

As the lady knight sat silently, the ancient vampire turned his gaze from his master to the TV, where the two leads were locked together, embracing as they hovered in the air. Alucard shook his head. "Why do humans try to romanticize flying so? It's simply a means of reaching one's destination – like walking."

Had? Had he changed the subject? Yes, Integra, was fairly certain he had, and she was relieved by this fact. She knew she was losing their last argument, but perhaps she could tie things up here. "Well, it's probably due to the fact that we _can't _fly. To you or me, walking might not seem like a big deal, but to a cripple... People always want what they can't have."

"I suppose," Alucard consented.

Integra smirked slightly. Then, deciding to quit while she was ahead (or at least tied), she let out a yawn and got up off the couch. "Well, It's late. I should be heading to bed."

"I thought you said it was early?" Alucard questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Early for you... late for me," Integra replied as she reached the door.

"Want some company?"

The knight turned and gazed at her servant through narrowed eyes. "The company of a corpse? Hardly." And with that she was gone, leaving a quietly chuckling Alucard in her wake.

* * *

A persistent, knocking roused the lady knight from her sleep; and looking over at the alarm clock by her bed, Integra found that it had been less than a half hour since her head had hit the pillows. She groaned.

"What is it now?" she asked in a put out tone as she rose from her bed and tied a discarded bathrobe around her nightgown. And it was only then, as she prepared herself to move towards her bedroom door and find out why her sleep was being interrupted, that her still groggy mind realized the knocking was not coming from her door. It was coming from her window.

Walking over to her nightstand, Integra removed the fully loaded P226, SIG pistol from within the draw. Then, suspiciously eying her window, the lady knight slowly approached the source of the knocking. Quickly she threw open the currents and took aim... only to find her red-clad servant hovering outside her window.

Integra sighed, and her hand went to her hip. "Alucard, what do you think you're doing?"

"Why, just helping you live out your fantasy."

"Excuse me?" Integra replied in a warning tone.

"You wanted someone to take you flying, right?" Alucard explained. "Well, here I am," he continued as he stretched his hand out towards his master.

Integra looked taken back by the offer. "I thought you said that was 'pointless, romantic nonsense'."

"I did... and I stick by the assessment. However, you are my master, and it's my duty to satisfy your desires. So, Master, would you care to go flying with me?"

Integra hesitated for a second. Go flying off with her vampiric servant? In the dead of night? With a full moon shining upon them? Allow him a part in one of her romantic fantasies? It was a potentially dangerous precedent to set.

Even still... it wasn't like he could try anything with her. The seals protected the monster's current master above all else. And, despite the little games they played, he did seem to hold her in high regard. Even without the seals, she doubted he'd try anything without her consent.

Besides, it wasn't like London was overflowing with men who could fly. Alucard was likely the only chance she'd ever have to live out that fantasy which so thoroughly gripped the human psyche, the desire to fly – free and unburdened. And so, Integra decided to accept her servant's offer and cautiously stretched out her hand to his.

And the corner of Alucard's lip curled smugly.

* * *

"I can't believe you dropped me in the Thames!" Integra protested through chattering teeth as her still damp hair clung to the sides of her face.

"Would you of rather I held on to you until that surface to air missile caught up to me? Somehow I think you would've had a harder time surviving being blown apart like that," Alucard replied as he used a poker to collapse the half burned out logs in on themselves and added fresh ones to the top of the pile.

"Stupid air defense department," Integra grumbled. "I mean really, we couldn't have possibly been that big a blip on their radar. How did they know we weren't a flock of geese... or something?"

"Maybe they thought we were. Maybe someone in British Air Defense has it in for geese," Alucard replied, drawing a disbelieving huff from his still shivering master. Then he moved away from the flicking flames and sat down beside her. He moved his arm behind her and repositioned the blanket that had started to slip from her shoulder.

And for a brief second Integra's shivering stopped as she felt her monster performing such a tender action. Perhaps he noticed the change in her or perhaps not. She couldn't say. Either way his next words sent her seething again.

"So, Master, was it everything you'd hoped it would be?" Alucard asked with a sly grin.

"I hate you," Integra growled in response.

"Only hate – not loath or despise... or want to stake through the heart?" Alucard asked with a chuckle. "Why, Integra, I think that's the nicest thing a Hellsing has ever said to me."

Integra didn't reply. Instead, she reached up her with her right hand and grabbed a small throw-pillow off of the couch behind them. She swung it around and struck her pet vampire right in the face, eliciting a muffled 'hmmph' sound. "Bloody vampire," she commented.

"Feel better?" Alucard asked as he removed the cushion from his face, revealing a small grin.

"A little," Integra admitted as the corner of her own lips curled slightly upwards. "Still, I'd trade feeling better for feeling warmer. I wish Walter was here to make me some tea."

At this Alucard stood up, prompting Integra to ask where he was going. "As I said, you are my master; it's my duty to satisfy your desires," Alucard replied.

"Leave poor Walter alone," Integra cut in. "He's old, and it's his first vacation in five years. I'm not going to have you showing up at his hotel and dragging him back here to make me a cup of tea."

Alucard chuckled. "I have no intention of bothering Walter. With the combined memories of over three million people and five centuries of experience, I'm fairly certain I'm up to the task of boiling water and adding in some leaves. Lady Londonderry, right?"

"That's... That's right," Integra replied with a surprised expression.

"Yes, I thought as much. I'll be back in about fifteen minutes or so," Alucard responded as he began to walk away.

"Alucard?" Integra called after her departing pet vampire.

"Yes?"

"I... I don't _really_ hate you. You know that, right?"

And the monster smiled. "I know."

* * *

Well, not my best work, but I hope you got some enjoyment out of it... or at least a chuckle or two.

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.


End file.
